Strong friendships may slow aging at the cellular level

The search, which appeared in the October issue of the magazine Brain, behavior and immunity – healthIt was based on data from more than 2100 long middle -aged adults in the United States, or MIDUS, study.

Anthony Ong, professor of psychology at Cornell University, and his fellow researchers found that people who have higher levels than he called a “cumulative social advantage” showed slower genetic aging and lower levels of chronic inflammation.

The study focused on the so -called Lagine watches, and the molecular signatures that estimate the pace of biological aging. Two in particular – GIMAGE and Dundinpace – are especially predictive of illness and deaths. Adults who have stronger and more sustainable social networks showed younger profiles per hour.

“The cumulative social advantage revolves around the depth and breadth of your social ties for life,” Ong said. “We have looked at four main areas: the warmth and support you received from your parents grow up, the extent of your association with your community and your guests, your participation in religious or religious societies, and continuous emotional support from friends and family.”

The researchers assumed that the sustainable social advantage is reflected in the basic regulatory systems associated with aging, including lagin and inflammatory paths and nerve deaf glands. It is striking that they found that the high social advantage was linked to levels less than Interleukin-6, a pro-inflammatory molecule involved in heart disease, diabetes and nervous decay. Interestingly, however, there were no significant associations with short -term stress signs such as cortisol or catekoline.

Unlike many previous studies that looked at social factors in isolation – whether the person is married, for example, or the number of friends they have – this work has imagined the “cumulative social advantage” as a multi -dimensional structure. By combining early and late relationship resources, the scale reflects methods and features.

“What is noticeable is the cumulative influence – these social resources depend on each other over time,” Ong said. “It is not only about the presence of friends today; it is about how your social ties grow and deepen them throughout your life. This accumulation is your health path in measurable ways.”

This does not mean that a single friendship or voluntary period can restore the biological clock. Authors suggest that the depth and consistency of social communication, which has been built over decades and different areas of life, is deep. The study adds weight to the increasing opinion that social life is not just a matter of happiness or reduced stress, but it is a basic specific to physiological health.

“Think about social links like a retirement account,” Aung said. “The more you start investing in an early age, the more stablely contribute, the more your returns. Our study showed that these returns are not only emotional; they are biological. People who have more richer and more sustainable social ties at the cellular level.